What is the policy regarding alpha builds nowadays? The last build I got was via a message through this forum, is this still how it works? Do we have a new alpha build incoming soon?
see http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=5342.0
I think what Jo was referring to in my post "What's Up?" was builds to the Alpha Testers and not the standard registered users. The last version registered users received was Terragen 2 Deep Edition Beta (Build 1.10.23.1)
Yeah i'm talking about the next version after Build 1.10.23.1. We got that build first via the forum and then via the normal email planetside send out after that. Just wondering if there is going to be another "forum" release soon?
The only release I've ever seen, since I own a license, is through email and then see it's on the forum, too. Probably won't change.
No I can't imagine it would. build 1.10.27 and 1.10.29 are builds that are only available to people who planetside selected as testers. They'd get sent the link in an email I imagine.
Quote from: PG on February 14, 2009, 02:42:31 PM
No I can't imagine it would. build 1.10.27 and 1.10.29 are builds that are only available to people who planetside selected as testers. They'd get sent the link in an email I imagine.
yeah we do
How do they decide who got 1.10.27 and 1.10.29?
I think it would make sense to allow people who have pre-paid access to the alpha builds, then release beta builds to everyone at certain time intervals.
My understanding of Alpha Builds has always been, that Planetside have a small number of Alpha Testers as to keep the number of bug and related reports to a manageable level.
How this selection process is made is an internal business decision for Planetside and weather the workings of this are made public or no is surly up to them. ;D
Regards to you.
Cyber-Angel
I was asked to alpha test our current 1.10.23 through e-mail...
That was the only time though.
I am a pre-paid owner.
I guess there is a list, and the more testers are needed the people lower on the list get an invitation. Or something like that...
Quote from: Mohawk20 on February 14, 2009, 05:58:14 PM
I was asked to alpha test our current 1.10.23 through e-mail...
That was the only time though.
This is the reason I posted this question actually. Like you i'd never been asked to test an alpha build before but with 1.10.23 I received an email allowing me to. This is why I asked what the current policy was regarding alpha builds. I wanted to know if this was the new way of doing things but it seems that new alpha builds have been sent out but not to the same amount of people as before.
So what was the difference with the last alpha build to previous and later ones?
The alpha testers, as C-A said, are a small group of people who get access to advance releases to work out bugs and test things before they get out to the general population.
The alpha testers are a group of specific, selected people who have access to a private alpha testing file and discussion area. They have been chosen on the basis of many different factors, but their numbers are necessarily limited. As a rule alpha builds only go out to these specific testers, and they are more frequent and more potentially buggy than public releases of any kind, which is one of the major reasons their release is limited.
On occasion we have sent out "alpha" builds to a broader but still limited group of people, with the intention of getting a greater degree of testing prior to a major public release. This approach is used as-needed and is not a regular part of the testing cycle.
Testing essentially works in stages, with the developers doing limited testing first before even an alpha release, followed by alpha testing and revision, then when a stable enough version is reached it will be made public as a beta. This keeps feedback clear and concise at each stage, with well-known and well-defined test scenarios and limitations. Beta releases are used as a near-final testing stage, and multiple betas are usually required. Testing generally culminates in one or more "Release Candidates" (RC's), followed by the final release.
- Oshyan
Hi Oshyan,
Good explanation :-).
Regards,
Jo
Hi Oshyan,
Nice explanation, thanks :)
I wonder if a new beta build will be out soon ;D
Thanks for explaining the process. This makes it easier for me to point to an expert, when someone doesn't understand this process.